THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 34 Friday, July 4, 1975 Law of Shemitta Defined By RABBI SAMUEL FOX (Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.) Shemitta is the name given to the sabbatical year in the land of Israel. The Bi- ble (Leviticus 25:1) com- mands that the "earth shall rest" every seventh year. Thus it cannot be sown, pruned, reaped or harvested plus other agricultural ac- tivities which are prohibited by rabbinic law. Debts which could possibly have been collected before this year are cancelled. There are several reasons for this special law. Some say that this law demon- strates our belief that the Almighty created the world and therefore He owns it. By not working the land on that year we show that we relinquish our ownership of the land to its true owner, i.e., the Almighty. Others say that in doing this we acquire a certain SELMA'S YARN SHOP 15075 W. Lincoln Lincoln Tower Apts. Ground Floor 968-1015 summer hrs Mon-Fri 10-5 MAGICIAN Available For All Occasions 23 years experience MAGICAL MEL 547-2464 quality of kindness and gen- erosity. Since the needy can therefore come and eat of the produce of the land that year we develop a certain compassion for our fellow man. It also demonstrates that the land of Israel is holy. Furthermore, since one does not work the land that year one has the chance to devote himself to study and teach others. Also, it teaches us to have confidence in the Almighty who provides for us that year even if we do not work the soil. Man finally frees himself from being too preoccupied with his daily chores on the land. Cancelling certain debts spares man from being forever pressed by fi- nancial obligations. It shows him generally, that while he thinks he owns everything, he indeed owns nothing. He is only a tenant of the Almighty and has to share what he has not only with the Almighty but with all of the other crea- tures of the Almighty. The shemitta or sabbatical year thus tends to make man both humble and confident, both concerned and secure. Some have seen this to be a most noble venture in equal- ity. FA en thing EN en one Else Does, Plus t SANdy fRiEdmAN pliOTOgRAP y 25900 Greenfield (in the Landmark Bldg.) 398-7211 cANclids • MOVIES • PORTRAITS Larry Adler of Rose AZA and Gail Shifman of Glazer BBG were installed as presidents of the Great Lakes AZA and BBG Councils, respectively, at the annual installations held at Temple Emanu-El. * * * Installed with Gail Shif- man and Larry Adler, presi- dents of the Great Lakes AZA and BBG Councils, respectively, were: Aron Weberman and Marc Hart of Goode AZA, vice presi- dents; Bruce Gorosh of Po- sen AZA, teacher; Mike Vine of Akiba AZA, trea- surer; Paul Chatlin of of Goode AZA, vice presi- Callton of Goode AZA, re- porter; and Lewis Check of Posen AZA, counselor. Other BBG Council offi- cers are Sue Caplan of Gla- zer BBG and Barbara Par- ker of Kadimah BBG, vice presidents; Linda Wolk of Disraeli BBG, Mit-Mom; Carol Nosanchuk of Disraeli BBG, secretary; Julie Ritten of Rappoport BBG, trea- surer; Linda Nosanchuk of Disraeli BBG, reporter; and Sheri Aaron of Dalyah BBG, counselor. Installa- tion Chairmen were Jeff Adler of Rose AZA and Linda Nosanchuk of Dis- raeli BBG. Honored with the highest individual achievement award of BBG, the Gold Star of Deborah, were: Sheri Aaron of Dalyah Beth Moses USY Lists Activities Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday by appointment only 01" 17 Northland Center Concourse Stairway X (313) 358-1414 — 15 gaCkie oft Cmof Youth News BBYO Business Beth Moses United Syn- agogue Youth will have a beach party at Cass Lake, meeting 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the synagogue. The group, together with Bnai Moshe USY, will go to Cedar Point July 13, meet- ing 7 a.m. at Cong. Beth Moses. Members are asked to bring lunch; dinner will be provided. There is a charge. For reservations, call Nancy Black, 548-2033, or Sherrie Frank, 534-9376. Beth Moses USY will at- tend a Tiger baseball game Aug. 11, meeting 6:30 p.m. at the synagogue. The group will see ShaNaNa Aug. 18 at Pine Knob. Demolay Chapter Seeks Members Mosaic Chapter of Demo- lay is seeking new members. The chapter is open to boys 13 to 21 years of age, and is not restricted to the sons of Masons. Social, athletic and com- munity programs are of- fered to members. For in- formation, call Alan Finkelstein, 557-2624. BBG; Sherry Grossinger and Brenda Band of Masada BBG; Lisa Moore of Disraeli BBG; Lora Last of Szold BBG and Laura Rogoff of Zangwill BBG. Silver Star of Deborah recipients were: Jody Craig, Judy Craig, and Audrey Rogow of Dalyah BBG; Ad- ina Borchardt and Pam Lippa of Brice BBG; and Gail Bronstein of Masada BBG. Honored with the bronze Shield of David, the second highest individual AZA Award, was Gordon She- wach of Goode AZA. The award for the best BBG scrapbook went to Disraeli BBG and the AZA best chapter award was won by Goode AZA. U.S. Youth to Join Ulpan in Israel Mitzvah Corps Aids Detroit With Anti-Poverty Program For the past eight years, the Michigan State Temple Youth has sponsored the Mitzvah Corps, a six-week anti-poverty program which takes place during the sum- mer in Detroit's inner-city. In 1967, after a plea to all regions in the National Fed- eration of Temple Youth by the Union of American He- brew Congregations, to set up Mitzvah Corps programs, the MSTY Mitzvah Corps began. This summer, 10 Mitzvah Corps workers will teach their own classes for the emotionally disturbed boys Arab, Jewish NEW YORK — Sixteen high school students will Teenagers Meet take part this summer in a for Seminars youth ulpan in Israel, con- JERUSALEM — A group ducted by the National Jew- of 75 teenagers from two ish Welfare Board in coop- eration with the American trade high schools recently Zionist Youth Foundation, ended a seminar devoted to to broaden their knowledge Arab-Jewish relations at of modern conversational the Louise Waterman Wise Youth Hostel in Jerusalem. Hebrew. The JWB Youth Ulpan, Half of the participants which is open only to stu- were Jewish students from dents who have completed Hadera; half were Arab the 10th, 11th, or 12th youngsters from the village grades and have a basic con- of Tybe. All were citizens of versational ability in Mod- Israel. ern Hebrew, will be con- ducted atop Mt. Carmel at Despite the widely diver- Bet Rutenberg in Haifa. gent viewpoints that marked their discussions, they left Jerusalem ex- Jewish Calendar changing addresses, promis- ing to write and planning Based on Moon visits. By RABBI SAMUEL FOX (Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.) The calculation of the months in the Jewish calen- dar is based on a lunar sys- tem of reckoning, thus mak- ing the Hebrew calendar essentially a lunar calendar. The other alternative would be to use the solar calendar system through- out. In the latter case the months are rather arbitrar- ily divided. Some commentaries indi- cate that using the natural division of the months into the phases of the moon (e.g., where a month begins with every new moon) serves as a means of encouragement and optimism to the people. In its appearance, the moon "renews" itself every month. This tends to con- vince us that man can al- ways "renew" those things which he might have lost in time. Thus the land of Israel can be "renewed" to the Jewish people even though they were dispersed by ex- ile. The dead can be "re- newed" even though they lost their lives in the strug- gle with nature. • Some claim that since the moon can sometimes be seen during the day as well as night, it doesn't lose its appearance even in the dark night. This symbolizes the immortality of man who is to be witnessed both in this world and in the next world. The seminar — which also included tours of Jeru- salem and dancing and sing- ing in the hostel's Steinberg Pavillion — revived a project initiated several years ago by the hostel in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Education, the Government Information Office and His- tadrut to foster better un- derstanding between Jews and Arabs. MaCk RH l at St. Francis Home for Boys in Detroit. The classes will include French, Span- ish, swimming, drama, creative writing, library and newspaper. In the evening the group will_ hold classes on urban problems, urban economy, sociology, education and politics at the University of Detroit. Weekends for MSTY'i are spend visiting differ places of interest in Detroit, such as the Eastern Market, Belle Isle and the Ethnic Festivals. The goals of the program are to help gain an under- standing of people, help underprivileged children, and to gain insights into the problems of the ghetto. Blacks, whites, Jews and non-Jews work to- gether. For young children to learn about Jews and to work with them is an im- portant experience. For Jews to work in a non- Jewish institution and for Jews to work with black children is also vital, Rick Maisel, Mitzvah Corps di- rector, noted. Mitzvah Corps, the only program of its type in the country, receives most of its operating funds from Michi- gan Reform Jewish congre- gations. The group is also supported by the Detroit Board of Education. For in- formation, call Maisel, 626-1346. I FACIAL HAIR,' ERMANENTL REMOVED Eyebrows—Neckline—Arms—legs Recommended by Physicians FREE CONSULTATION SHIRLEY PERSIN Registered Electrologisf ADVANCE BUILDING 23077 GREENFIELD Room 260 Nr Northland 6 Providence Hospital PHONE 557-1108 15 Y_, i o• f re by, Downtown biicritnirtaiit19 and hii Orcheilra 358-3642 • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • ANNOUNCIN G A SALE • • ONLY HARRY THOMAS COULD OFFER :SAVE UP TO 50%. • • • • • • • • THE FINEST OF SUITS . . . SPORT COATS . . . LEISURE SUITS . . . SLACKS . . . SHIRTS . . . TIES .. . • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • HARRY THOMAS • fine clothes for 39 years • • 24750 Telegraph at 10 Mile • • • The One and Only SUNDAY 11 to 4 PM next to Dunkin Donut Daily to 6 — Thurs. to 8 PM • • • • • • • • SUNDAY • 11 to 4 PM • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••